Death toll in Delhi blast incident rises to 15

NEW DELHI: The death toll in the Delhi car blast case has risen to 15 after two victims succumbed to injuries, officials confirmed on Monday.

According to Delhi Police, the total number of deceased has reached 15, including three partial body parts. One of the victims succumbed to injuries yesterday, while another victim, named Vinay Pathak, died today.

Investigators probing the terror module allegedly linked to Dr Umar Un Nabi, whom security agencies identified as the one who drove the explosive-laden car which went up in flames in the blast on November 10 at Red Fort, have found evidence of an organised internal structure, encrypted communication channels and coordinated movement of weapons, official sources said on Monday.

According to sources, Umar had created a Signal group around three months ago using a name with special characters. He added Muzammil, Adeel, Muzaffar and Irfan to this encrypted communication platform, which investigators believe was used for internal coordination.

A major lead surfaced after a weapon consignment, including a Krinkov rifle and a pistol, was recovered from the car of Dr Shaheen, a key suspect in the case. The probe has revealed that Umar procured the weapons and handed them over to Irfan in 2024.

Sources said Dr Shaheen had earlier seen the same weapons during a visit to Mufti Irfan’s room with Dr Muzammil. She is also suspected of having made the highest financial contribution to the group’s activities.

The investigation has indicated a clear division of roles. Financial support for the module was to be handled primarily by the three doctors, particularly Muzammil. Recruitment of Kashmiri youths was assigned to Irfan alias Mufti, who allegedly brought in Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil and Yasir ul Ashraf, both now arrested.

Sources said the probe has documented multiple instances of weapon-related activity. In October 2023, Dr Adeel and Dr Umar visited Irfan at Masjid Ali, carrying a rifle in a bag and left after cleaning the barrel.

In November 2023, Adeel again reached Irfan’s residence with a rifle. Later, Dr Muzammil and Dr Shaheen Shahid also joined. The group left the weapon in Irfan’s custody. Investigators said Adeel returned the next day and collected the weapon.

Officials said the findings point to a coordinated network involving financing, recruitment, and the systematic movement of weapons, operating through encrypted platforms and trusted personal links.

Delhi Police confirmed that the man who carried out the car blast near Red Fort was Dr Umar Un Nabi, after forensic DNA testing matched his biological sample with that of his mother.

However, Al-Falah University has distanced itself from Dr Umar and Dr Muzammil, stating that the University has no connection with the accused beyond their official capacities, and that no questionable chemical or material is being used or stored on the University premises.

On November 10, the blast near the Red Fort complex in the national capital killed 12 people and injured several others. (ANI)